Vitamin D Screen

Vitamin D regulates the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body, two minerals that help to keep bones, muscles and teeth healthy. Not having enough of the vitamin can lead to bone deformities such as rickets, where bone tissue doesn't properly mineralise.

The best natural source of the vitamin comes from when the body is exposed to sunlight. However, in some countries there is not enough sunlight throughout the year to produce the required levels of Vitamin D and people can therefore become deficient. Other sources include:

Oily fish, such as mackerel, salmon, sardines, herring
Egg yolks
Red meat
Foritfied dairy and grains

The most obvious symptoms of deficiency are:

Bone pain
Muscle weakness
Fatigue
Sweating of the scalp

however, the symptoms can be very subtle and you can still have an increased risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease or autoimmune diseases without having the aforementioned symptoms.

If you suspect you may not be getting enough Vitamin D and would like to get tested, please give us a call on 02074991581 to book an appointment. If the tests show low blood levels of the vitamin, the doctor may recommend dietary changes or supplements to help achieve healthy levels.